Full Circle
by willynilly23
Summary: What if things have to get worse for Annie and Auggie before they get better. Post 4X16
1. Chapter 1

Notes: So those of you that read my fic know that I am 100% Walkerson dedicated and I still am, but I think the reality of their situation is the old adage that it is going to get worse before it gets better. Based on that reality I am working through how I would like the journey to go.

Full Circle P1

The news that Annie was alive was disseminated in rings of inclusion. After the 7th floor people were told, Calder gathered a small group of those that had worked closely with Annie over the years: among them, Barber, Hollman, Branch and Reva who were stunned to hear the news, but relieved and thrilled. Finally, Calder made a general announcement that Operative Walker was alive, free of charges and spending some time recovering from her mission.

It wasn't until a full day after the news was spread that Barber asked a fairly obvious question.

"Calder, where is Auggie?"

"I saw him briefly when he returned from Hong Kong, he asked for a week. Frankly, I think he needs more than that, but he'll be back on Monday," Calder replied.

"Is he with Annie?" Barber asked hopefully.

"No," Calder shook his head almost sadly and walked away.

***555***

Annie took her 4th shower of the last 24 hours, grateful for hotel hot water heaters and the big bottle of lotion she bought with the left over cash Joan had given her in New York.

Annie knew from her literature studies that water is a symbol of rebirth and she hoped that if she took enough baths and showers, if she swam enough laps in the hotel pool she would emerge as someone new at the end of the week. She was certain that she was never going to be the old Annie Walker again and Jessica Matthews had to go as well, she had to be someone though and she hoped she could find that person soon before the loneliness devoured her.

She had become accustom to physical loneliness, in the dark for months with no one by her side, but this mental loneliness was significantly harder. All the time she was in the dark she was never truly alone, Henry was in her brain dictating her moves and providing the fire she needed to move forward. With Henry dead she had nothing, she had no one.

The people she loved: Auggie and Danielle, were done with her and who could really blame them. Of course she hadn't spoken to Danielle, but she knew how that was going to go and she cringed at the thought of re-opening her sister's wounds.

Auggie almost stuck it out, he was there up to the end in Hong Kong, stayed behind and risked his own safety to help her complete her mission. She had a voice mail from him on her phone when she arrived back in the States, but it was late and she was so tired she went directly to the hotel and took a shower and collapsed in bed.

It was the same behavior she had exhibited when she got back from Russia years ago, after he had single-handedly arranged a prison break of the most unbreakable prison in the world. That time he shrugged off her avoidance and welcomed her into the DPD with a warm embrace. This time, when she called him the next day he didn't answer. She went to his apartment and he wasn't there.

Under the hot spray of the shower Annie realized she would never be the person Auggie needed, no matter who she was reborn as this time.

***555***

Auggie slept for 2 days solid. The small hotel room in Chicago was quiet and, in his world, always dark enough for sleep. He had debated visiting his parents or a brother or two, but realized that he couldn't fake it even for them. He stayed in the hotel and ate room service, listened to ESPN on the television and slept more.

When Annie failed to even call him back the night of her return he knew they were broken, he knew that they had both pushed the other too far. The spool of blame grew with each memory, he was not the victim here, they were both responsible for the decisions they made. Annie's decisions would always be about the work first.

He should be proud of her; she had turned into a world class Operative. He had just always hoped that he meant the tiniest bit more to her than the job.

His ringing phone pulled him out of his malaise and he smiled despite himself at the identity revealed by the ring tone. Auggie had been dodging these calls, but finally on Day 4 of his hibernation he answered.

"Hey Barber, what's up?" he said with faux cheer.

"Hey Barber, what's up?" Barber mimicked in disgust.

"Yeah sorry man, you called at all the wrong times, I've been super busy on my vacation."

"Really, cause my intel indicates you haven't left the hotel and your room service bill is bordering on quadruple digits."

"I don't know what is more upsetting, you spying on me or the ridiculously inflated price of a turkey club in this place."

He sounded like himself Barber thought, only just not quite.

"I spy because I care, are you OK man?"

"Getting there, I'll be back in DC tomorrow."

"Beer?"

"Sure. Hey, have you seen her?" Auggie asked knowing Barber would know what he meant and knowing Calder had planned to tell them all by now.

"No, part of me was really hoping she was with you."

"No."

"I tried spying on her too, but she is still…."

"Dead?"

"To the credit card companies any way. I'm fairly certain she is here in DC somewhere, can't really travel too far with no identity."

"Knowing her she would find a way," Auggie sighed and ended the call.

He collapsed back on the bed, suddenly tired again in the middle of the afternoon.

***555***

The closest thing to a relationship Annie had these past few days was with the woman who worked in the pool area of her hotel. Annie came down multiple times a day for a swim and the woman smiled and handed her a towel and Annie thanked her. It was the only way she knew her voice still worked.

She was on her 10th length of the pool when she popped up for air and caught site of someone sitting on the edge of a chair nearby. The water in her eyes blurred her vision and she blinked rapidly to clear it.

"Joan?" Annie asked as she hefted her body out of the water to sit on the edge of the pool.

Joan tossed her a towel as Annie wrung the water from her long dark hair.

"How are you Annie?"

"I'm, um, fine," she tried using words even though they felt slippery in her mouth.

"How about you get dressed and I take you out for dinner?" Joan stood and indicated Annie should as well.

"Um, OK," Annie nodded and got to her feet.

"I brought you some things. You look a little leaner than your sizes in your file, but they should do," she held up a bag from Macy's.

"Thanks," Annie practically whispered, the kindness of the gesture stealing her speech.

Annie had taken a few things out of storage the day she went looking for Auggie, but her wardrobe was sadly limited to pajamas and this bathing suit.

Annie smiled at the towel girl and proceeded to the elevator. Once in the hotel room she shivered against the cool still air.

"Take a shower, I'll bring some clothes in," Joan nodded towards the bathroom and Annie noticed she was still carrying some baby weight, she must have just gotten out of the hospital.

While Annie slipped off the wet bathing suit she heard Joan rummage in the bag she brought, heard the telltale sign of tags being removed from clothes and the shake of fabric as she tried to freshen the folded pieces. Slipping into the refuge of her shower again she hoped she could get through a meal with Joan without hyperventilating, but she had to learn how to assimilate to the real world again if she wanted to go back to work.

***555***

Auggie picked up the phone to call Annie on Saturday evening. He figured they should talk before Monday, in case she was present at Langley upon his return from vacation. He had no idea if she would answer, but steeled himself against the kitchen counter and waited.

"Hello," she answered on the 4th ring sounding breathless, water running in the back ground.

"Hi," he said simply.

"Hi," she replied, uncertain.

"Can we talk?"

"Uh huh," she said with difficulty, her throat closing in on itself.

"I can come to you," he offered.

"If you want, or I can come there," she returned the offer.

"Do you want to come here?" he asked intrigued.

Aside from the first few nights of their brief relationship they had always used Auggie's place. Logistically it was just easier for him to be in his own space with his stuff in its proper place. It was impossible for Annie to imagine that apartment now and not think of all the spots they had stolen kisses, all the times he had pressed her up against a wall or an appliance and anchored her to the life she was spiraling away from.

"Maybe you should come here," she needed the neutrality of this random DC hotel room.

"You'll need to tell me where there is," he said, the trademark grin apparent in his voice.

She gave him the hotel name and her room number, he promised to be there within the hour and she ended the call before slipping back into the still running shower.

***555***

Auggie arrived at the hotel empty-handed. He considered stopping for beer or Patron on the way, but he knew that a couple of shots of Patron in they would just end up in bed and while he wanted her so badly they had made that mistake already, the sex without the talking mistake, and he wasn't doing it again.

She answered the door and found him in jeans and his leather jacket, bag strapped across his chest, cane unfurled. He looked like: Auggie. How could he look so much the same when she barely recognized herself?

She brushed his arm and invited him into the room. He let go after clearing the door frame and used his cane to get the lay of the land.

"Where do we start?" she asked as he took off his jacket, found a chair and sat down.

"Are you OK?" he asked his voice calm and soft.

"Not really," she admitted.

"OK, so we start with getting you any help that you need," he leaned forward and steepled his fingers together as if praying.

"Joan is taking care of that," she found herself a seat, cross-legged on the end of the bed.

"Good."

"How are you?" she reversed the question.

"Conflicted."

"By?"

"Everything."

"Us?"

"Is there an us?"

"There will always be an us," she said and he knew she was right.

"Yeah," he smiled.

"The question really is what kind of us," she admitted.

"Are you coming back to work?"

"Eventually. You?"

"Monday."

"Good. That is good, right?" she asked never so unsure of how to talk to Auggie, talking was their thing they could always talk.

"I guess, routine and all that, get back on the horse. Not really sure what I'll be doing and for whom and where. Kind of want to go back to the basement, it was quiet there," he babbled.

"I'm sure Joan and Calder have a plan," she assured.

"For you too," he offered.

"Mmmm," she pinched her lips shut and stood up.

He heard her stand and did the same thing, out of chivalry or a need to move or lack of anything better to do or say he was unsure.

"We aren't really good at the talking thing," he said completely opposite of her earlier thoughts.

"We always were before…." her voice trailed off and he knew what she was referencing.

"Before…" and before he could finish his thought her hand reached for his side, a mirror image of the night in her guest house, her hand barely there against the softness of his tee shirt.

"Auggie," it was a prayer on her lips and his descended to swallow his own name before she could finish it.

Unlike that first night though there was no joke, no teasing smile from either of them. The kiss was fierce, their teeth banging into each other . The last thing Auggie thought before he pushed her jeans off her hips was that he should have brought the Patron.

As a spy you become accustomed to straddling the line between right and wrong. Routinely you are doing something illegal or destructive for the greater good, which is what Annie tried to convince herself of as she made love to Auggie.

They both knew it was wrong, they were fractured, both of them badly in need of repair and while every touch, every thrust felt amazing they both knew it was wrong.

Auggie made every deal he could manage with god and his body to prolong the moment, he rode out wave after wave of Annie's reactions.

Annie was glad she was checking out of the hotel tomorrow, because she was pretty sure people on other floors could hear them. And when they finally finished and Auggie collapsed on top of her, she pulled his lips to hers and kissed him frantically. He returned the kiss as if they were resuscitating one another, breathing life into one another.

But then he was gone. Careful not trip over their discarded shoes and clothes he made his way to the other side of the room, a hand wiping across his mouth.

Annie pulled the sheet, kicked to the end of the bed, up over her body despite the fact that he couldn't see her. She felt vulnerable and scared. She was scared of Auggie, not physically, but of what he was about to do to her heart, what she could do to him just as easily.

"I'm sorry," he shook his head remembering a similar night of passion with another recently returned from the dead lover.

Annie nodded, knowing it was useless but her voice was raw from screaming his name. She closed her eyes as he made his way around the room gathering his things.

"I really came here to talk," his voice made its way through her closed eyes and covered body and broke her heart any way.

"To end our relationship," she ground out.

"There was never a relationship Annie, there was love and passion and loyalty and trust, the first two are clearly still there but I think we kind of shredded the last two."

"So we just give up?" she was trying so hard not to cry.

"We are not the same two people who stood in your guest house a year ago, we've been through a lot, put each other through a lot and I don't see how we get back to who we were before."

"What about work?"

"We have a unique working relationship, but even that is out of our hands at this point. If they put us back together, which I highly doubt, I will certainly be able to work with you Annie. I love you, I always will," he was suddenly dressed, cane in hand and at the door.

"So that's it, you get to make the decision and we're over?"

Auggie dropped his head and laughed, bitterly.

"Annie, you don't get it, do you? You made the decision, in Frankfurt, you did this, not me," he sighed and then he was gone.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it. Also, I hope to stick to a Tuesday and Thursday release schedule for chapters.

Full Circle P2

Annie moved into the small apartment Joan and Calder had secured for her on Sunday. Her stuff from the storage unit was delivered by a cleaning crew led by Hollman.

"Hi Annie," he said shyly when he arrived.

"Hi Andrew," Annie smiled and then reached out a hand and squeezed his shoulder.

"This should be everything, we, um, left the car there of course," his eyebrows disappeared beneath his shaggy curls.

"Of course, if my assignment keeps me here I will have to get something a little more convenient for the city," Annie shrugged.

"Is it Auggie's? The 'vette?"

"What makes you say that?"

"It has Illinois plates on it."

"I sometimes forget you guys in Tech Ops are spies too," she laughed.

"He gave you his car," it wasn't a question this time.

"He knows how fast I like to drive," she conjured his words from that day, a different day he broke her heart.

In both cases, not entirely his fault.

Annie closed the door to her new apartment and sat amongst the belongings from a forgotten life. The first box she opened had a picture of Chloe and Katia in it and she closed it back up, opting to take a shower instead.

***555***

Auggie woke Sunday morning to a putrid taste in his mouth and pounding headache. When he got back from Annie's hotel room all he could smell was Annie, he showered and then realized he could taste her too, the sweet note of lime from her lotion, the waxy cherry of her Chapstick, something richer he wanted to forget. He bypassed his toothbrush and went straight for the tequila.

When Auggie lost his sight he had thought he would lose the ability to relive things over and over as well. That moment at the end of a day when you try to sleep but your mind plays the images of the day on a loop you can't shut off. What he had found was that it still happened and as with everything else his other sense took over the work.

The tequila helped, but it took a lot of it and that was what he was feeling Sunday. Another shower, a packed duffle and an egg white omelet later and he was enroute to the gym.

"Hey Auggie," someone greeted, but the tequila was still dulling his senses and he had no idea who it was so he waved and moved on.

After 20 minutes on the bike his thighs and his stomach were both protesting, his week in bed in Chicago was not doing him any favors at the gym. He pushed through the pain and nausea though and eventually the endorphins kicked in.

***555***

"You don't look rested," Calder mentioned as Auggie entered his office bright and early on Monday.

"I'll go out on a limb and say same to you?" Auggie frowned.

"I expected unrested, but in a 'spent the whole week having sex with my not dead girlfriend' way, not this," he looked Auggie up and down.

"You'll be the happy to know, I no longer have a girlfriend, dead or otherwise."

"You'll be surprised to know that doesn't make me happy," Calder sat across from Auggie.

"We both agree we can work together, so your little fiefdom is secure," Auggie clarified.

"I have no idea how things are going to shake out Auggie, I am as in the dark as you are."

Auggie raised his eyebrows at that.

"OK, not quite as in the dark," Calder smirked.

"So, what now?" Auggie shrugged.

"I'm putting you back in your old office, if for no other reason than it is set up for you. Your clearance is not quite back to where it was, but the case against Henry gets sorted more and more each day and with each day's new intel you come out looking like a hero."

"That might be over stating, Annie is the real hero here," no matter how conflicted he was her accomplishments could not be overlooked.

"Of course, and trust me she has her pick of assignments, the rest of us will wait out her decision and the pieces will fall into place. In the meantime I have a rookie in Angola with an inferiority complex. You up for some words of wisdom and encouragement?"

"Sure."

"Barber will read you in. I'll let you know what happens after my meeting with Walker and Joan."

Auggie stood, his normal methodical movements just a beat off by Calder's estimation. He was ready to work, but certainly not fully back.

***555***

Calder felt like a hall monitor today, he got Auggie off on his interim mission and settled in with a cup of coffee before Joan and Annie paraded into the office. Annie seemed skittish and gun shy, not really a ringing endorsement of her preparedness for work.

"Good to see you Annie, I hope you were able to settle in to your new place," Calder began as he offered the women coffee from the sidebar in his office.

"Getting there, thank you," she nodded and accepted the coffee not revealing she hadn't unpacked a single thing.

"We have 2 offers for you Annie, both of them involve company-mandated therapy," Calder began as he sat.

"Probably not a bad idea," Annie chuckled mirthlessly.

"It's non-negotiable," Joan clarified and Annie nodded more seriously.

"What is the difference between the two?" Annie asked after a sip of coffee.

"Location," Calder began, "here or Budapest."

Annie's eyes widened in surprise.

"We have a long term assignment in Hungary," Joan explained, "purely intelligence gathering, low risk, but you could use your language skills and be back in the game."

"How long term?" Annie asked wondering if she was psychic for not unpacking.

"Six weeks," Joan answered.

"And if I stay here?"

"No defined mission yet, I would put you on the Eastern European desk," Joan shrugged.

"I'll go to Budapest."

"You're sure?" Calder asked suspiciously.

"Yes, it is long enough to let things settle here, but not so long I will get lost again. It is an organized mission with a goal and I will have access to the same help I could get here," Annie counted out the pros.

Calder was happy she had logical reasons for her decision and was not simply trying to run away again.

"What about Auggie?" she asked shyly.

"I put him back in his office for now, waiting on your decision. He said you would be able to work together, is that true?"

"Yes."

"Well when you get back we'll see where things are. I know how critical Auggie is to the agency and I value his work immensely, and I know you know Joan does too, don't worry about Auggie," Calder said with conviction.

Annie nodded, finished her coffee and stood.

"When do I leave?"

"The mission goes live on Wednesday," Joan said quickly, "if you like you can leave today and travel to Budapest by way of California."

"That seems a little out of the way," she tried for a joke.

"We won't force you to talk to your sister Annie, but I really think you should," Joan reached out and took Annie's hand.

Annie couldn't speak about Danielle yet, but she knew Joan understood the problem, likely better than anyone.

"There are 2 plane tickets, one that leaves tonight to SFO and one that leaves Wednesday morning to Budapest, just let us know which one you are going to use," Calder slid the plane tickets towards her.

"Do I have a passport?" Annie asked suddenly.

"Yes, you are officially undead," Calder smiled and slid a full packet of documents, real and cover docs, across the desk as well.

"You guys work fast," Annie said and suddenly remembered something.

"Aren't you on maternity leave?" she turned to Joan.

"Yes, but I wanted to see you and get you settled. Since you are taking the Budapest mission Calder will be your handler. It is a little beneath his pay grade these days, but he can handle you and I can handle McKenzie," Joan smiled when she mentioned the baby.

"Thank you," Annie smiled genuinely at her old boss.

***555***

Annie had a couple minutes to observe the DPD before she was noticed and the hush fell over the normally loud work space. She watched as Auggie noticed the change in noise and slipped his earphones off.

Annie smiled at people as she jogged down the stairs and across the room towards the glassed in office in the middle of the DPD.

Barber hopped up as she approached the door.

"Annie's here," he stage whispered to Auggie.

"I know," he nodded.

"Hi Eric," Annie smiled at the big guy.

"Hi Annie, welcome back," he said awkwardly.

"Good to be back, could we have the room for a minute?" she asked.

"Of course," Barber signaled to Millie who was paying close attention from her desk and the two left out the back door.

Annie waved to Millie and watched as they left before turning her attention to Auggie.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she returned and went to perch on the edge of his desk as she had so many times over the past 4 years and then thought better of it, fidgeting with her hands like a kid.

"Did you have your meeting?" he asked.

"I did and I wanted to tell you what I decided before it was public."

"You're leaving," he exhaled.

"Not exactly. They offered me a six week gig in Budapest, counseling and a chance to get my legs under me without the limelight of Langley to distract me. I wanted to tell you. I'm leaving tonight to see Danielle first," she hated that she was babbling.

Auggie was quiet for a few seconds, processing the news. Part of him was terrified about having her thousands of miles away again and part of him was relieved to have some space to sort out all they had been through.

"I think that is good," he said calmly.

Annie wasn't sure if he thought it was good that she was seeing Danielle or that she was going to be thousands of miles away but she nodded and turned on her heel. She looked back over her shoulder.

"See you in a few weeks," she said and the clicking of her heels faded as she walked out of the DPD again.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Full Circle P3

Annie was able to sleep on the flight to San Francisco due only to the complete lack of sleep she had gotten all weekend. She replayed her time with Auggie over and over in her head, how she might have turned the situation around.

It occurred to her that while he said he loved her, she hadn't said it back. She had said it to him on the phone, from Frankfurt, in a roundabout way, but not like he said it, not with his conviction. It occurred to her now, at 40,000 feet that he might have wanted to hear it.

"Miss Walker," a company man waited for her curbside and brought her to another hotel on the other side of the country.

Her plan was to check in and call Joan. Joan was going to call Danielle and explain the situation and if Danielle wanted to see Annie, Annie would be available for the next 36 hours before she left for Budapest.

"Hello," Joan answered, it was 9:00 pm in DC.

"I'm here," Annie announced as she flopped her suitcase on the bed.

"OK, the burner phone package was delivered a few minutes ago."

"She opened it and already has an idea of what is happening," Annie sighed.

"I'll call right now," Joan assured.

"Thank you," Annie said sincerely, but Joan was already gone.

***555***

Danielle looked at the cell phone and for a fleeting second worried it might be a bomb. More likely it was from Auggie, he had the oddest ways of getting in touch with her. She was staring at it when her house phone rang causing her to jump.

"Hello," she said shakily.

"Danielle Brooks?" a woman asked.

"Yes."

"You received a package just now?"

"Yes."

"Please hang up and press 1 on the speed dial of that phone," and a dial tone replaced the woman's voice.

Danielle hung up and with trembling hands dialed as instructed.

"Hello Danielle," the same woman answered that line too.

"What happened to Auggie?" Danielle said terrified.

"Auggie?"

"You are calling from the Agency right? No one else goes to this type of hassle for a phone call and Auggie is my contact at the Agency, what has happened to him?" Danielle was close to tears.

"He is fine," Joan assured.

"Really?"

"Really, I am sorry, I didn't realize you still talked to him," Joan cringed, this conversation was really not off to a good start.

"He was my sister's handler," Danielle explained unnecessarily.

"I know that. I am his boss and Annie's," Joan said gently.

"Oh."

"Danielle, I am sorry to do this over the phone, but I am unable to travel at this time. I need to clarify a few things about Annie…."

Danielle sat heavily on the bar stool and listened to the most unbelievable story she had ever heard.

***555***

Annie hadn't unpacked, it was becoming a habit, instead she perched on the edge of the bed in the sleek San Francisco hotel room and waited. If Danielle refused to see her there was no reason to stay.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and she answered it before the second vibration.

"Yes," she said nervously.

"She'll be at the hotel tomorrow morning at 10:00," Joan wanted that out of the way first.

Annie breathed out a long slow breath, realized her left foot had fallen asleep the way she had it twisted and tucked behind her right calf and that the room smelled softly of cinnamon. It was as if Annie had been in a bubble of anticipation waiting for Joan's call.

"OK," was all she could say.

"She is obviously confused and hurt Annie, but I figure you anticipated that. She was calm though and I think she understood everything I said. "

"OK," it seemed to be the only word she knew.

"Do you need anything?" Joan figured a direct question might prompt more of a response.

"No, thank you Joan," Annie closed her eyes and hoped that Danielle would understand and embrace her as easily as Joan had.

***555***

"How'd the kid do? I haven't heard of any disasters in Angola, so I imagine you talked him through?" Calder asked as he sidled into Auggie's office on Tuesday morning.

"He's all set, I told him he could call if he needed anything else."

"Good."

"We alone?" Auggie didn't hear anyone, but that didn't always ensure privacy.

"Yeah," Calder slid the door closed behind him.

"I got an email from Danielle Brooks last night."

Calder chewed his bottom lip and nodded.

"I'm not really sure how to respond," Auggie sighed.

"About what?"

"She thinks I just found out too. She must have asked Joan if she told me. Do I tell her I knew all along? Is that Annie's place to tell her?" Auggie held both hands out weighing his options.

"Mmmmhmmm," Calder pondered the issue.

"I'm sure she is wondering why Joan called her and not me…"

"This is sounding less like the CIA and more like Days of Our Lives. Annie is meeting her this morning, wait until later today give Annie a call, find out what she told her sister and what she wants you to share or not and reply accordingly. The woman lives 3,000 miles away you won't be running into her at Starbucks," Calder reasoned.

"Yeah," Auggie breathed.

"That's not really the issue is it?" Calder crossed his arms and steeled himself.

"I thought I would be there, for Annie, hell for both of them when this happened," Auggie pushed back from his desk and stood up.

"It is hard to detach from Annie, I understand it a little and I have only a minutiae of the history you two have. She is engaging, compelling and hard to shake," Calder assessed and caught the recognition in Auggie's face.

"You shot her," Auggie said although he obviously knew it to be true already.

"Every now and then I flash to the moment, seeing her body drop in that elevator, it is chilling, then I see her walk into a room here like it is any other day. Like I said, she's hard to shake," Calder said and then slid the door back open.

Auggie sat back down after stretching his legs, he apparently had 6 weeks to shake her.

***555***

Barber overheard them as he approached the staff break room in search of napkins. He had forgotten to grab some in the food court and now that Auggie was back in the office he was going to have to be neater.

"Of course he knew," the male voice began.

"No way," a woman, he thought her name was Josie, replied.

"He is wired, he knows more about this place than anyone, there is no way a mission this big, involving HER of all people gets past him," the guy continued.

"You weren't there, you didn't hear his voice on the phone, he was devastated," Josie pled her case.

If Barber had a doubt about who they were talking about that last comment cleared it all up. He shouldn't be surprised Annie and Auggie were the talk of the agency, but it bothered him nonetheless.

"Hey guys," he said as he interrupted.

"Eric will know," the guy, who turned out to be Phil from Fabrication, said.

"What's that?" Barber played dumb.

"Anderson knew Walker was alive the whole time right? He was playing us all, just like her," Phil rolled his eyes for effect.

"Phil, man, Annie Walker is a patriot and a hero, gossip is really beneath her. As for her relationship with my boss, I have no comment," Barber stood his ground.

"Chill out Barber, we're just having some fun," Phil held up his hands in mock surrender.

Josie, who had kept quiet while the guys snarled at one another finally spoke again.

"You didn't hear him Phil, he was devastated," she repeated and walked out.

Barber collected his napkins and headed back to his office curious himself about how much Auggie knew and when. And if Auggie did know she was alive and was still that upset, just how deeply was he in love with Annie Walker?

***555***

Danielle knocked at the hotel room door promptly at 10:00 am, she hadn't slept since she hung up with the woman from the CIA. She managed to feed the kids and converse with Michael enough to get by and then retired to bed only to lie there.

Annie opened the door and the sisters stood across a small threshold, like an ocean really, eyes locked on one another.

"Come in," Annie said quietly when she realized that whatever happened next should happen on the other side of a closed door.

She stepped back and allowed Danielle into the room. Danielle didn't say anything, she took off her rain coat and hung it over a chair and then turned back to Annie, reaching out to her, pulling her in and wrapping her tightly in her arms. Annie returned the embrace, squeezed shut her eyes and hung on.

"Are you OK?" her sister's words, her first question the same as Auggie's had been.

"Getting better," Annie answered honestly.

Danielle sniffled and loosened her grip a little but didn't let go yet.

"Are you OK?" Annie ventured.

"Yes," Danielle said simply and nodded against Annie's shoulder.

Annie tried counting the time in heartbeats or inhalations, but finally she surrendered to the moment and forgot everything.

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Full Circle P4

Danielle was eerily calm about everything, Annie thought maybe she had taken something for the anxiety she was so calm, until this exchange.

"Have you seen Auggie yet?" Danielle asked as she took a cup of coffee from the room service tray Annie had sent up.

"Yes," Annie said simply.

"He was a mess Annie, the guy loves you a lot," Danielle smiled and sipped the coffee.

The look on Annie's face must have said enough.

"He knew?" Danielle furrowed her brow.

Annie just nodded, she didn't want to throw Auggie under the bus, but she also didn't want to lie to Danielle any more than she had to.

"I thought you were the best liar I knew, but he has you beat," Danielle put her coffee down and stormed over to her phone.

"What are you doing?" Annie panicked.

"Calling him, why isn't he here for this little reunion?"

"Danielle, please don't do that and please do not be upset with Auggie. Trust me, he did not want me to go through with this, but when I did he had to lie to everyone to keep me safe. To keep you safe," she pleaded with her sister.

"OK, but where is he now? Why did that woman Joan call me?"

"Things with Auggie are complicated," Annie began and relaxed when Danielle put her phone back in her purse.

"Oh no, is he in trouble for helping you? "

"No, Auggie is fine. Auggie and I are not so fine."

"Fix it," Danielle stated emphatically.

"It is not that simple Danielle."

"Nothing you do is simple Annie, he is worth it, fix it."

"I wish I could, but I really think I need to fix me first."

***555***

Auggie was packing up for the day at 6:00 pm and Barber was confused.

"You leaving early?"

"In any other world this is late Barber," Auggie grinned.

"But we live in this world," Barber retorted.

"True words my friend, but I have an engagement with a small squirming creature," Auggie grinned.

"Um, OK?"

"Joan invited me for dinner and to meet the baby," Auggie clarified.

"Oh, cool," Barber nodded thinking dinner at the Campbells sounded anything but cool.

"See you in the morning," Auggie bid farewell.

***555***

"You don't have to leave," Joan reasoned with her husband.

"Auggie isn't ready to see me," Arthur shrugged.

"This is your house, I am sure he expects you to be here."

"He has a lot on his plate right now, he doesn't have to deal with me on top of it all."

"Or perhaps you feel so guilty about the whole mess with Helen that you're the one that would be more comfortable avoiding the situation?" Joan arched an eyebrow.

"Auggie has every right to be angry about Helen, about Teo about all of it. I pulled him into that world and then after Iraq I just assumed he wasn't willing or able to deal with it, so I went on communicating with two-thirds of the team and never read him back in," Arthur sighed.

"We all treated Auggie differently after Iraq Arthur, it was a whole new world for all of us," Joan sympathized.

"Well, mostly for Auggie," Arthur smirked.

"Yeah, mostly for Auggie."

"I tried throwing things at him, the OCA job, the investigation into Jai's death. I wanted to make it up to him somehow."

"You should have told him the truth Arthur, but you didn't and the past is the past. Helen is really gone now and so is Teo, Auggie is all that is left of that life," Joan said softly, stroking her husband's good arm.

"How did this all happen?" Arthur said, his eyes filling with tears over his lost son.

Joan pulled him close and wrapped around him as best she could with his injured arm still immobilized.

"How did we get here?' he spoke against her soft hair.

"Here isn't all bad," she reminded him.

"I know, trust me, I know how lucky we are, the three of us," he looked over at his new son snoozing in a carrier on the coffee table.

"Truth be told I feel a little guilty too, we have this, Calder has his pick of jobs in DC and Annie and Auggie have nothing, not even each other anymore."

"They'll find their way back, don't you think?"

"They seem empty, both of them, they seem spent," Joan stepped away and moved toward the baby who was not showing any sign of need.

She picked him up any way and held him close.

"I still think I should leave you and Auggie alone for dinner, I'll be back later," he kissed his wife and child and called for a taxi to take him to the club for dinner.

***555***

"What are you going to do now Annie?" Danielle asked as they took a walk through Golden Gate Park.

"I have a six week assignment in Budapest," Annie said vaguely.

"That won't help your relationship with Auggie," Danielle pointed out.

"It might actually, we both need some time to heal. The company will be providing support," she said as she looked around to see if anyone was close enough to hear her.

"That's good," Danielle nodded.

"I was away a long time, alone, and I need to immerse myself in work and a regular routine. This assignment will allow for that."

"Well, it will give me some time to figure out how to tell the girls you are alive. Maybe when you get back to the states I could bring them out."

"Really?" Annie stopped suddenly.

"Of course, they love you Annie, so much and there is no way I could let them go on thinking you were dead. I'm sure I can come up with a story about you being in a coma or something, they watch enough TV they'll buy anything."

"I can't believe you are being so understanding about all of this."

"What is my alternative, hate you forever?"

"Yes, that is the alternative."

"Well I can't. Am I angry? Sure. Am I hurt? Definitely. What good do those emotions do me at the end of the day, you are my only sister, my closest friend. I love you Annie."

"I love you too," Annie said once again wishing she had said it to Auggie.

***555***

"Auggie, come in," Joan greeted him at the door.

"Thanks," he said softly and took her lead into the living room.

"First things first, I want you to meet McKenzie," she sat next to him on the couch and took the baby from his carrier.

Just over a week old the bundle Joan presented to Auggie was mostly blankets, but Auggie could feel the warm soft weight of the baby in the crook of his arm.

"Wow," was all Auggie could manage.

"I say that a lot," Joan laughed.

"Are you well Joan? I know things went a little crazy at the end there."

"I am fine, the baby is fine and Arthur is recovering," Joan floated the name casually.

"Good, I'm glad."

"We owe you a lot, Annie and Calder too, you guys pulled off a huge victory. Henry would not have stopped until he killed us all."

"I know," his voice was serious but he was smiling at the baby.

***555***

Danielle had talked to Michael in the afternoon and he was happy to have the girls to himself for the evening, Danielle didn't even have to make up too much of an excuse. As she slid into the booth across from Annie in a small French restaurant they stumbled across downtown she asked the inevitable question.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," Annie confessed.

"So soon?"

"My assignment goes live on Wednesday and I think they want me to start counseling sooner rather than later," she shrugged and reached for the ubiquitous sourdough loaf that was in the middle of the table.

"Is your assignment dangerous?" Danielle asked with concern as she tugged on the other end of the crusty loaf.

"No, I will be working in a library at Corvinus University, simply observing and writing reports," Annie gave as much information as she could on her mission.

"Oh." Danielle leaned back.

"My life isn't always so dangerous," Annie whispered.

"Sure has been lately," Danielle said as a waitress approached.

Annie thought about it and Danielle was right, she hadn't really stopped since Simon. Russia, followed by Khalid, then Colombia leading right to Henry's front door. The only moments she could remember over the past 18 months where she wasn't afraid were the moments she spent in Auggie's arms, in his bed, with his breath on her skin and his hands in her hair. Just the thought of him calmed her even now, even in their broken state. Annie ordered her meal and turned the conversation around to Chloe and Katia, getting caught up on dance recitals and school plays.

***555***

Auggie waited to call Annie, he hoped she was spending the day with Danielle. He got home from Joan's around 10:00 and spent a few hours just pacing his apartment like a caged animal. He was so concerned for Annie's mental state, but he was starting to think he might need to be worried about his own.

Annie was standing on the sidewalk with Danielle, afraid to flag a cab down and break the spell of the wonderful day they had spent together, when her phone rang.

"Sorry," Annie frowned and pulled the phone from her purse.

"It's Auggie," she said softly.

"Answer it," Danielle encouraged and Annie nodded.

"Hey," she breathed into the phone.

"Hey, how'd it go?" he asked.

"I'm just saying good-bye, I know it's late there, but can I call you in 20 minutes?" Annie asked hopefully.

"Of course," and the phone was dead, he still never said good-bye.

"Whatever is between you now, that man still loves you," Danielle reiterated her point from earlier.

Annie bit her bottom lip and nodded, she knew that was true, but was it enough?

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

Full Circle P5

Annie's fingers itched to call Auggie back, she had to stop herself from calling from the cab and the elevator and waited instead until she was back in her room. It was 11:00 pm in San Francisco which meant it was 2:00 am back home, but he said it was OK and just the few seconds of his voice earlier had made her crave it, she hit dial.

"Hey," he answered on the first ring.

"Hi," she said as she eased back against the pillows on her bed.

"How's Danielle?"

"All things considered? Better than anyone could have expected, certainly better than I expected."

"She's tough Annie, she can take it," he had given her similar advice before the read in.

"Yeah."

"I'm glad and I wanted to ask, she um, she emailed me last night, after she talked to Joan."

"Oh?" Danielle hadn't mentioned that, but Annie guessed it shouldn't be surprising.

"She sounded like she thought I just found out too, she was reaching out to see how I was," Auggie explained.

"She knows everything now."

"OK, she probably hates me more than you," Auggie chuckled.

"She was ready to nominate you for a grieving boyfriend Oscar, but she got over that too," Annie tried for humor but stumbled a bit on the word boyfriend.

"OK," Auggie wasn't sure how he would respond to Danielle, but at least he knew where he stood.

"It's late for you," Annie said lamely.

"I have a love hate relationship with sleep," Auggie said vaguely.

"I know. I leave for Budapest in the morning, I can, um, check in from there."

"Sure," Auggie said.

"You should, um, try to sleep," her voice was soft.

"You too," he replied.

"I can sleep on the plane," she didn't want to hang up.

"You comfortable with the file?" he asked as he leaned back against the pillows of his bed not wanting to let go of her either.

She could hear the sheets rustle and could picture him there, the grey/blue sheets against his skin her own skin flushed with memory.

"I am," she tried to answer but had to clear her throat.

"Annie?" his voice held some warning.

"Auggie?" she replied in a lower octave.

"We shouldn't do this 3,000 miles apart," he said and tried to quell his body's reaction to her voice.

"Tomorrow I am going to be 5,000 miles in the other direction," she tried to rationalize it as she slipped her shirt off over her head.

"Yeah," he sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face not missing the sound of her stripping.

"I can call Calder right now and switch my assignment Auggie. I'll sit on the Eastern European desk forever if you want me to," she came perilously close to pleading.

Auggie actually thought about it for a millisecond, he thought about having her there all the time, the perfect blend of the early days of their working relationship and the recent past of their personal one. Simple missions, brush passes and asset entanglement that often went sideways, but were usually tied up neatly combined with long leisurely nights in his bed, shared showers and slow dancing in the living room. He could be that guy, but right now, she was not that girl.

"Go to Budapest Annie and if that is still what you want in 6 weeks we'll have this conversation again," he promised.

"I…." she wanted to say it, it was so clear in her mind, but not on the phone at this late an hour.

"I think that's a good idea," she cleared all emotion from her voice.

"Have a good trip," and once again he was gone, leaving her sad and lonely and achingly needy.

He tried to settle in the bed, he really needed a shower though, a cold one would have to do.

***555***

Auggie had barely fallen asleep when his phone rang again.

"Hello," he answered as clear-headed as he could.

"Auggie, it's Nick," the rookie.

"What's up?" Auggie sat up in bed and reached for his pants, he had a feeling his night was over.

"I think I was made."

"You think or you know?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"Where are you?"

"Angola."

"Yes Nick, I remember that. What's your 20?" Auggie tried not to get too frustrated with the kid, he was likely terrified.

"I'm in an alley near the drop site."

"Is anyone in pursuit?" Auggie kept up the sit rep as he dressed himself as best he could and made his way to his bag and keys.

"I think I lost him."

"You think or you know?" he repeated the question.

"I think."

"Take as much cover as you can, I need to call a ride into Langley and I will start putting out feelers on the ground there, I will get you some help."

"Thank you Auggie," the kid sounded relieved.

"Hang tight."

***555***

"I'm here," Annie reported from her apartment in Budapest.

"How was the trip?" Calder asked as he read three different reports.

"Uneventful," Annie offered as she poked around her temporary new home.

"Plans for the evening?" Calder asked as he negotiated the time zones.

"There is a pub down the street, University hang out, thought I would just go get dinner and observe."

"Sounds like a plan, have a Grabanc for me," he laughed and hung up.

Annie was surprised by how low key he was being. She really thought she would get much more hand holding on this mission. It was low risk and high reward, a Russian graduate student willing to spill on all things evil and nefarious he learned about the Putin regime from his father who worked and died for the Russian leader.

The son was likely being watched by the Russians so Annie's cover as fellow grad student with a work study job at the library was the perfect way for him to pass the intel easily. Annie would translate it and report back on it, it was a good gig leaving her plenty of time for her counseling sessions which were scheduled to start the next day.

She unpacked a few things (for the first time since coming back from Hong Kong),noticed the fridge and cupboards were stocked and the bathroom had soap and towels. She freshened up and put her hair up and some lip gloss on, grabbed her purse and headed to the pub.

***555***

"Hey, oh, hey sorry," a voice that sounded an awful lot like his rookie interrupted Auggie's thoughts around midnight.

"Nick?"

"Yeah, sorry to bother you, someone told me Auggie Anderson was back here."

Auggie grinned.

"I see my reputation has not preceded me," once he got more than one word out the young operative recognized his voice.

"Oh man, sorry, I just, I didn't know, I had, um….ok, going to stop talking now."

"Are you now terrified to realize I was both your eyes and your ears for that extraction?" Auggie stood.

"Nick Galster," he waved lamely.

"Auggie Anderson, nice to meet you, officially," Auggie held out his hand and the young man shook it.

"I promised you a drink, hope it's not too late, I am wired from my flight," Nick bounced on the balls of his feet.

Auggie felt his watch and shrugged.

"We'll consider it a head start on tomorrow."

"I like the way you think Anderson."

"Stick with me kid, I am full of good ideas."

"Whatever you did to get me out of that alley was practically magic."

"The stars aligned for you Nick, you will soon realize a good bit of this job is luck," Auggie laughed as he dug out his outside cane and shut down his work station.

"Were you waiting for me?" Nick realized there was no one else around at that hour.

"I like to make sure my Operatives get home in one piece."

"Am I? Yours, I mean. Are you my handler?"

"That is up to the head of the DPD," Auggie answered honestly.

"Who is that?" Nick asked curiously.

"No idea," Auggie laughed as they made it to the elevator.

***555***

Annie woke Thursday morning early, nervous for her first full day in Budapest and found she had a text from Auggie:

"Went to Allen's with a new rookie, just like the good old days. He doesn't smell as good as you."

Annie wondered how many drinks in he was before sending that. She replied:

"Found my own Allen's in Budapest already."

Within seconds he replied:

"Someone is up early."

She smiled:

"Someone else is up late."

He replied:

"Going to bed now."

"Sleep well."

And he was gone, again.

***555***

Annie's first day at work went well, she liked the head of reference at the library she was working in, she sat in on a global economics lecture for her cover and she was able to take a long swim in the University pool. She saw her mark, but made no move on him just yet, he was told she would be in touch within the week and she wanted to get her bearings first.

Really, she wanted to have her first therapy session and insure that it didn't send her running for the first plane to an unknown location where she would continue to bury her fear and loathing. Her stomach churned at her flight tendencies as she sat in the comfortable hotel room where her therapy sessions would take place.

Just as that flight instinct was about to take over the door opened and a middle aged woman entered with a tray of tea and cookies. Anyone else's first instinct would be that this woman was hotel staff, but Annie knew better than to make such logical assumptions, she smiled but said nothing.

The woman went about pouring two cups of tea, shuttling the plate of biscuits from the tray to the table in front of Annie.

"Milk?" the one word in clear English.

"Lemon?" Annie countered politely.

The woman nodded and arranged a circle of lemon on the saucer before presenting the cup to Annie.

"Thank you," she smiled again.

"You're welcome," the woman took her own tea and sat opposite Annie with the small table between them.

They sipped the tea quietly for a minute, Annie reached for a cookie her stomach in need of something to settle the acidic churning.

"You found the place OK?" the woman asked after interminable silence.

"Yes," Annie nodded.

The hotel room key was in her safe house pack, the hotel name, address and appointment time encrypted.

"I have level 13 clearance, I have met with both Joan Campbell and Calder Michaels and am fully briefed on the events of the past 8 months, you should consider this the only place in the world where you can talk freely. Do you understand?"

Annie nodded again.

"Do you have any questions before we begin?"

"What do I, um, what do I call you?" Annie looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry," the woman laughed, a light sincere laugh.

"You aren't the only one nervous apparently. My name is Gail Larson," she put the tea cup down and reached across the table to shake Annie's hand.

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

Full Circle P6

Three weeks into her stay in Budapest and Annie felt more and more like herself. Her asset was easy going and low maintenance, her coworkers were nice and invited her to join a book group and out for movies and drinks in a way she never had before, she found a kick boxing class and spent endless hours in the pool keeping her body in shape.

She texted with Auggie now and then, but he seemed busy and distracted. That bothered her at first, but she knew that that was how Auggie dealt with his stuff, work and more work, and likely some Patron. She remembered other ways Auggie would deal with his stress and she tried not to wonder if he was finding that relief elsewhere.

"What's on your mind Annie?" Gail asked over room service salmon.

"Hmmm?" she looked up from her plate surprised by the interruption in her thoughts.

"You're a million miles away," Gail smiled.

Even therapy had been a surprisingly pleasant experience. Gail was easy to talk to, she prodded Annie into revealing fears she herself didn't even know she had. She drew lines from her father to Simon to Henry that seemed obvious now, but that she herself had never allowed herself to accept.

"How long have you worked for the Agency?" Annie asked.

"Twenty-two years."

"And you're married?" Annie nodded towards the wedding band on the older woman's hand.

"Yes."

"Does your husband know what you do?"

"He knows I am a consultant for the US Government. I had a private practice when we met and married, I was recruited shortly after my marriage, after I treated a high profile journalist who had been captured in Iran. My husband likely suspects that I consult for intelligence agencies, the CIA is not my only employer," she hinted.

It was the most the woman had said about herself since their first meeting and Annie was both pleased and intrigued.

"Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking about Auggie."

"You miss him," Gail stated, it wasn't a question but her professional assessment.

"I do."

"The comfort he provides?"

"At the moment, I miss his body," Annie confessed.

"That's pretty normal, as you start to regain yourself all your appetites will come back. You look like you have gained back a little muscle tone just in a couple weeks, you must be eating better, your body will evolve to wanting all the things it wanted before."

"I forced myself to not want Auggie while I was dark, I could not allow myself that kind of distraction, of weakness. If I thought I had something to live for I would have failed. I tried to forget him entirely, yet I was so hurt when it seemed he had forgotten me too."

"When he slept with Helen?"

"Yeah."

"You felt betrayed by that?"

"Yes, no, I guess. "

Annie could hear his teasing voice in her mind 'As long as you're sure….'.

"If you needed help who would you call first?" Gail changed the trajectory.

"Auggie," Annie said without hesitation.

"So you still trust him."

"I do. The thing is, I don't need him as much anymore. That is part of what happened this past year, every time he gave me instruction or guidance I saw a different way and I took my own path and I think that hurt him."

"I am not going to try and analyze Auggie, I have never met him, but think about him for a second. Describe him in one word," Gail was leading her and tried to pull back, she had read Auggie's file cover to cover and wished she could write a book on these two.

"Auggie's a soldier," Annie smiled.

"You are familiar with a military mentality."

"Yes," Annie had talked about her father plenty.

"So you can see how your penchant for disavowing his advice could vex him," Gail chose her words carefully.

"So I didn't follow his advice and he slept with his…his….Helen," Annie had a hard time referring to her as his wife.

"I don't think it is quite that straight a line, but Auggie has a history of being in control and a lot of that control was taken away from him, when you take more of it away he may seek it elsewhere."

"I made a lot of decisions that directly affected him without actually consulting him," Annie admitted.

"Have you apologized for that?"

"Not really."

"You've seen him since you returned from Hong Kong?"

"Yes."

"Did you talk? Explain what you did and why?"

"Not so much," Annie frowned but her body tingled at the memory of Auggie's hands on her body.

"How do you feel when you're with Auggie?" Gail asked and Annie raised an eyebrow, "in general, not specifically in bed."

"Safer, stronger, more at peace," Annie admitted with a frown.

"But?"

"But, while I feel all of those things I think my presence in his life causes him the opposite reaction. I cause him fear and stress and a vulnerability he doesn't like to show," Annie was suddenly filled with dread and sorrow.

"Annie?" Gail asked concerned for the change in her demeanor.

"I'm bad for him. I am the opposite of everything he needs. I totally get his relationship with Parker now, it seemed so odd to me at the time, but she was the anti-me. Jai died and I was maturing as an Operative and Auggie was scared. Parker was safe and easy, carefree and optimistic, Auggie needs that."

"Has he said that?"

"Not in so many words, but he has changed, we have changed. We used to be so light with each other and now everything has a weight, a darkness to it. I did that to him."

"Auggie made plenty of his own choices."

"Did he? I told him once that I shouldn't have read him in on the file Henry gave me, but I was wrong, I shouldn't have slept with him that night. I should have read him in and completed the mission before giving in to my own desire to be with him. I did the one thing I have constantly denied my whole career."

"What's that?"

"I wasn't able to separate my personal life from my professional one."

***555***

Nick had made it back from another mission in one piece and was buying Auggie yet another beer at Allen's. The two men were debating the Cubs lack of chances when a familiar voice interrupted.

"Hey Auggie."

"Amy?"

"Yeah, haven't seen you in a while."

"Nick Galster, this is Amy Jacobs. Amy works on the Hill, Nick is a friend of my brother's visiting DC," Auggie covered although he was sure Amy would read the truth.

"Nice to meet you, care to join us," Nick offered politely.

Amy slipped into the seat next to Auggie and gave him a once over.

"Tough day?" she assessed.

"I've had tougher," he grinned.

"Excuse me a sec," Nick stood and made his way to the men's room.

"You OK?" Amy asked directly.

"Sure."

"Come on Auggie, not every day someone's girlfriend comes back from the dead, I've been meaning to check in on you" Amy revealed that word of Annie's pulse had reached Congress.

"Happens more often than you would think," Auggie snarked and finished his beer as he raised his hand in hopes a waitress was close.

"No one has seen her, is she at Blue Bonnet?" Auggie had to remember Amy used to work in the building.

"No."

"Is she OK?"

"I don't know," Auggie said honestly.

"I need something stronger than beer," Nick announced as he returned to the table and disrupted the quiet interrogation.

Nick knew when he was a third wheel and a couple of shots of Patron in and he was begging off claiming an early flight in the morning. Auggie grinned, almost sadly at him, as Nick threw some bills on the table for the tab.

Auggie pocketed the cash and handed his credit card to the waitress when she passed by a bit later.

"Auggie?" Amy started and halted.

"Come on," he nodded his head towards the door after he signed the slip.

"You sure? Last time I met you for a late drink there was another woman waiting in your bed."

"She hasn't been in my bed for months," which was technically true since their last time together was in a faceless hotel.

His hand found her knee in the cab, her hand found his belt in the elevator and as soon as they were through the door to his loft she dropped her bag and hooked her leg high up around his hip, could feel him against her, ready.

Her hands tried to move to his shirt, his stayed firm on her hips kind of trapping her. He didn't live here the last time they did this so she had to break away from the kissing to get her bearings and as soon as her lips left his she knew it was over.

He looked terrified. It was hard to believe this man was a world class spy, his emotions were so clear. The flush she felt in her cheeks drained from his and she actually thought he might pass out, his hands shook and his chest heaved with the need for oxygen to his brain. His belt hung open and the top button of his pants, undone, was so inviting, but the look in his eyes was heartbreaking.

"I'm sorry Auggie," she sucked in a breath and tried to reclaim her dignity.

"Not your fault. This one is on me," Auggie shook his head disgusted with himself.

"I should go," she reached past him to grab her purse from the floor.

"It's late, let me call you a cab," Auggie had his phone out before she could protest.

Before he could make the call though he heard the alert of a text, he knew it was from Annie, must have missed it in the bar.

He found the cab company he used and ordered a car, it would only be 10 minutes as dispatch was just down the street. Auggie fished the cash Nick had left on the table and handed it to her, unsure of the denominations.

"I have money," she laughed sweetly.

"You're further from home now," Auggie shrugged.

"I don't want the money Auggie. I do want you to be happy though, always have, you need to figure out what you want to make that happen," she kissed his cheek and he squeezed his eyes shut at the truth in her words.

Then she was gone.

Auggie stabbed at the phone and the adaptive text reader robotically read out Annie's message.

"Text from 555-897-4457. Call me. We need to talk."

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

Full Circle P7

Nick strolled in to tech ops the next morning looking for Auggie, but finding Barber instead.

"Hey Nick," Barber raised a donut in greeting.

"Hi Eric, Auggie around?"

"Not yet," Barber said with mild concern.

"Not surprised, I left him with a very eager lady last night," Nick grinned.

"I'm sorry?" Barber said confused.

"When I left Auggie last night he had a ride home, a very attractive ride home, if you get my drift," Nick smirked.

"Oh," Barber said quietly.

"Tell him I am around today, flight out at 19:00."

"Will do, um, who was the woman?" Barber replied as he munched on the donut, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Amy Jacobs."

The concern deepened.

***555***

Auggie didn't want to call Annie while he was drunk and with Amy Jacobs' lip gloss still on his lips, so he showered off his bad evening and went to bed, his phone right nearby in case she decided to call first. His sleep was fitful, traditional dreams eluding him, replaced by a kaleidoscope of emotion: fear tumbling into loss into sorrow into longing.

He woke up exhausted, but convinced of one thing. He wasn't letting Annie run away again. He grabbed the phone and called, unsure of the time zones or her schedule.

"Hello," she answered.

"Hey," he replied, his chest opening up at the sound of her voice.

"It's good to hear your voice," she sounded as relieved as he was.

"Can you get away for the weekend?"

"I think so."

"Want to grab a drink Friday night?" his voice dipped to a seductive lower register.

Annie smiled as she remembered the last time he asked her that, she played along.

"Allen's Tavern?"

"I was thinking somewhere nicer."

"Sure," the word was so soft he was almost unsure if she said it or if he just remembered it from the plane.

"How about Paris?" he continued the conversation.

"That is nicer than Allen's," she laughed.

"I'll email you the details."

"OK, can you just talk to me for a few more minutes?" Annie asked knowing Auggie was likely on his way to work.

"Sure," he agreed as he shouldered the phone against his ear and tied his tie.

***555***

"I have good news," Gail began as Annie walked into the hotel room.

"Yeah?" Annie smiled at the woman who had been so comforting and helpful.

"I've cleared you with Calder and Joan," Gail handed over a glass of wine from the room service cart in celebration.

"Already?" Annie asked, she had 2 weeks left in Hungary.

"Yes, you've done very well Annie. I hope these sessions have helped, your work is solid, you have come back to society in a positive way. You are ready to go home."

"Funny you should mention that," Annie perused her dinner options as she spoke.

"Oh?"

"I am going to see Auggie this weekend."

***555***

Auggie strolled into his office with a smile and a very large cup of coffee.

"Dude, what were you thinking?" Barber began.

"Am I wearing the polka dot tie again?" Auggie looked frightened and fumbled for the Braille label.

"I heard about Amy Jacobs," Barber whispered the end and Auggie sunk into his chair.

"Whatever you heard was wrong."

"Nick said he left you alone with her last night and that you both seemed eager…."

"Nothing happened."

"Auggie, you do remember that I know you, right?"

"Eric, you do remember that I outrank you, right?" Auggie tried for a stern look.

"How could you do that to Annie?" Barber cracked a bit on the end.

Poor Barber, he really did have a soft spot for Annie.

"I didn't, I realized what I was doing and I stopped," Auggie tried not to be too proud of himself since he hadn't managed the same level of restraint with Helen.

"Really?"

"Really. Need me to head down to polygraph?"

"No," Barber sighed with relief.

"In fact, I am going to see Annie this weekend," Auggie fired up the computer and began a request for time off.

"Oh, good."

"And unless she is planning to tell me to hit the curb, hopefully we will return to DC happy and ready to get back to whatever passes for normal around this place."

***555***

"Good luck Annie," Gail said as they finished their last session.

"Thank you Gail, I was kind of dreading this whole process," Annie admitted.

"Most of the people I see are," Gail smiled.

"I feel like I have come a long way, seeing Danielle, being here, now I just have to sort things out with Auggie."

"You love him Annie, I don't doubt that for a second. Make that the focal point of your conversations, let go of the past, help him do the same," Gail imparted her last bits of wisdom.

Annie knew, no matter where they were and no matter how many people were around, the first thing she was going to do was tell Auggie she loved him. She had almost waited too long.

***555***

Auggie was packing the last of his toiletries when his cell rang.

"I am not working today," he called out to an echoing bathroom.

He sighed and went for the phone any way, his job wasn't one where you ignored a ringing phone.

"Hello."

"I know you are technically off today, but I also know your flight isn't until noon," Nick said in a hurry.

"What's up?"

"I am stuck in Stockholm," he began and Auggie remembered the last time he had to get an Operative (and her sister!) out of Stockholm.

"I am sure Barber can get you home."

"He is, but I am supposed to already be in DC and I have that hand off with the Turk at the Capitol Grande."

"I told you to let someone else take that assignment, the risk was too great you would not make it back," Auggie sighed and felt for his watch.

"You could go, get the flash drive, up load it to me and I could still be a hero. I am trying to make my mark here, I have to be superhuman, you know that better than anyone," Nick pleaded.

"I do," Auggie sighed.

"You know the protocol, you can get this done and still make your flight and everyone wins."

"You're lucky I like you Galster."

"You are actually the best, everyone says people are the best, but you Auggie Anderson, are THE best."

"Well I might possibly be in a very good mood today," Auggie grinned at the thought of being near Annie.

***555***

Annie got to Paris early, having had a much shorter flight. Full of nervous energy she stalked around a few galleries at the Louvre not really seeing anything. The hotel confirmation Auggie had sent her was for 2 rooms, she wondered about that, was he flying all this way to tell her he thought about it and she was too much work for him? Or was he hoping they could have an actual conversation with their clothes on first?

Annie didn't care about the sex at the moment, or at least not primarily, her first and foremost goal was talking. She realized how much she had to say to Auggie, all the things they glossed over last year, all the things she regretted but also all the things she loved about him, why she chose him, why she would dedicate herself to always choosing him.

Realizing the art was a lost cause for her today she headed out to the crisp Paris afternoon and found a café and ordered some herbal tea and a small but decadent piece of pastry. Her time in Budapest had been very healing, a month of kick boxing and swimming and yoga and therapy had brought her body back to where she liked it and her mind back to where she needed it. Auggie would have the final say on just how her heart ended up.

***555***

Auggie entered the Capitol Grande with his Nationals Cap on and a copy of Time magazine. A blind man purchasing a print magazine was exactly as funny as it sounded, but the guy at his local corner store didn't say a word when Auggie asked which one of the glossies in front of him was Time and then slapped it on the counter.

He found the fountain in the center of the lobby and oriented himself to the couch at the 2:00 position, crossed his left leg over his right and opened the magazine. The lobby was busy and Auggie was trying to sort the noise into categories of normal and abnormal. He heard what sounded like someone walking swiftly and breathing a little harder than normal, and was about to get worried when the shout was heard across the lobby.

Turkish erupted around him, at least 3 voices. If he could see he would have realized he was surrounded and while he was not the target he quickly became the victim when he stood to investigate. Auggie couldn't see the gun, couldn't know he was saving the asset's life, all he felt was the jolt and searing pain of another bullet in his chest.

TBC…


	8. Chapter 8

Full Circle P8

Author's Notes: Whatever you do don't try to figure out the time zones in this chapter, it will only give you a head ache. I promise. Consider it dramatic license.

"What the hell happened?" Calder stormed into the hospital waiting room with Barber in tow.

"I don't know," Joan shook her head.

"Auggie was going to Paris today, to see Annie," Barber mentioned.

"He was certainly off the duty roster. Do you think this is an Annie thing, was he there to help her?" Calder puzzled.

"You are more read-in on Annie's mission than I am, but it has been all on book," Joan shrugged.

"This is Annie, she could be running 6 unsanctioned Ops on the side," Calder groaned.

"I don't think so," Joan disagreed.

"Why was he going to see her then, so suddenly?" Calder asked.

"I think just to see her," Barber interjected, "you know, socially," he finished lamely.

"A last minute trans-Atlantic booty call?" Calder smirked.

Joan just rolled her eyes and walked back to the nurses' station looking for more information. So far all they knew was gunshot wound to the chest and he was in surgery. Joan was Auggie's emergency contact since Annie 'died'.

"Why was he at the Capitol Grande?" Barber asked out loud.

"I don't know, but I do know we need someone in charge of the DPD, because if this was a sanctioned mission I do not know about it," Calder growled as he paced the small space worried about Auggie.

Joan returned with no new news.

"Should someone call Annie? She is expecting him in Paris," Barber mentioned.

"Yeah," Joan sighed and picked up her phone and headed for an exit.

***555***

Annie graduated from herbal tea to wine in her effort to calm her excitement. A glass of wine in the middle of the afternoon seemed extravagant, but 'when in France' she thought. She certainly didn't want to be drunk when she saw Auggie, but a glass of wine and the book she had brought with her would help her kill the time while his plane made its way to her.

Her phone chimed and for a second she worried it was her asset in Budapest, although she had told him she would be unavailable for a couple days and he seemed fine with her absence. When the screen revealed Joan on the other end she assumed the woman was calling to congratulate her on completing her mandated therapy.

"Hey Joan," she answered with a smile.

"Annie, glad I got you directly."

"What's wrong?" Annie's instinct took over, but nowhere in the swirl of problems she anticipated did Auggie enter the picture, he was on a plane right now, how could he be in trouble.

"I am sorry to call, Annie, I am sorry. There was…." Joan was having a very hard time getting the words out.

"Joan, what's wrong?" Annie repeated.

"Auggie is in the hospital, there was an incident."

"Auggie is on a plane," Annie clarified.

"No Annie, he didn't make it to the plane, he was shot this morning," Joan explained.

"I don't understand," Annie felt her heart rate increase and her mouth go dry.

"We don't have all the facts. Auggie was in the lobby of the Capitol Grande, do you have any idea why? Was he there for you?"

"No. I texted him when I got on my flight, he replied that he would see me tonight. He was packing, we were going to have a drink at eight….well it was going to be more like eleven by the time he got here" Annie trailed off lamely.

"He is in surgery, I don't really have much more information than that, but we wanted you to know right away."

"Can I come home?" Annie's voice was watery and small.

"Of course, go to De Gaulle, I'll get you a flight," Joan promised.

Annie hung up and flagged her waitress, finding a cab as quickly as she could.

***555***

Nick had called Auggie so many times he was starting to worry. He didn't know him that well, but Auggie seemed intensely reliable. Maybe this vacation was more important than a mission, but as he boarded his transport home from Sweden Nick had no intel and no access to Auggie.

***555***

Joan, Calder and Barber were standing around Auggie's bed staring at the unconscious figure in front of them. Barber had figured out that Auggie must have been filling in for Nick on an intel pass that was low risk at best, but clearly that intel was faulty.

Without Nick to fill in more details though they just stood there worried and waiting, waiting for Nick, waiting for Annie and waiting for the doctor to give them more information. What they knew so far was the bullet didn't do much damage, but the surgery was grueling and the anesthesia was still keeping Auggie under.

Nick was the first to arrive, he explained what had happened and took in the stares of the three people in front of him. He had never even met Joan or Calder, both of whom significantly outranked him, by a lot. It was obvious that all of them cared a lot about Auggie too.

"I never would have sent Auggie if I thought for a second there would be any violence," Nick assured.

"Sent Auggie where?" another voice from the doorway revealed Annie.

"Annie," Joan smiled despite the situation.

"Hi Joan," Annie smiled back, both of them had been here before, sharing fear and worry over this man they both loved.

"Welcome home Walker," Calder nodded and Barber waved sheepishly.

Annie didn't even acknowledge Nick beyond her initial question, more concerned about getting over to Auggie. She made her way through the crowd in the small room and looked him over , her hands roaming over the blankets feeling his legs and feet, inventorying every inch of him.

"How is he?" she asked, her voice clinical.

"Stable, but they say he should have woken up by now. The bullet went through fairly clean, they fixed the minor arterial damage and stitched him up," Calder reported.

"Who's this?" she pointed to Nick.

"Who's she?" Nick turned to Calder annoyed.

"Nick Galster, Annie Walker. Annie Walker, Nick Galster," Calder introduced.

"You're the Annie Walker?" Nick's eyes went wide.

"And you're the kid Auggie's been working with," Annie put 2 and 2 together.

"Yeah, look, I had no idea there was any danger, I was telling them when you came in," he stammered over an apology.

"OK," Annie nodded.

"Huh?" was all Nick could come back with.

"I believe you didn't want Auggie to get hurt and I know how quickly he jumps at the chance to be back in the field. Sometimes we get hurt," Annie shrugged.

"Walker?" a groggy voice from the bed interrupted.

"Look who decided to join the party," Calder grinned as Auggie blinked and grimaced with some pain.

Annie froze, just looking at him, coming back to life right in front of her. She remembered the promise she made to herself and although she was figuring the audience to be a bunch of random French people and not her coworkers, she kept it.

"I love you," she said as she found his hand.

Barber couldn't help the tiny "Awwww," that squeaked out.

"Am I dead?" Auggie mocked.

"No," she sniffled and laughed at the same time, bringing his hand to her lips and kissing his knuckles.

"I'm gonna have another scar," he used his freehand to find the bandaged area of his chest.

"I bet the doctor did a much better job stitching you up than I did," she smiled.

"Maybe you two could just stop getting shot," Joan suggested.

"Hey Joan," Auggie realized he and Annie weren't alone.

"Calder, Barber and Nick are here too," Annie informed.

"It's a party. Did Barber bring snacks?"

"I am kind of hungry," Barber admitted.

"I'll let someone know you are awake, they probably want to examine your head or something," Calder grinned and ducked out.

"Auggie, I am so sorry," Nick tried to figure out what to say to make it up to the guy.

"It's OK Nick, these things happen," Auggie assured.

"You saved the asset's life, he reported in finally and sent the intel," Barber informed.

"That's good," Auggie smiled weakly.

"Doctor will be in soon," Calder announced.

"The things you do to get out of taking me on a date," Annie teased.

"Me, you're the one that went to Colombia the first time. And we did have a date that time, Calder here even bought the drinks."

"That's right, our first official date was supervised by the current DCS," Annie grinned at Calder.

"I bring people together, what can I say?" Calder mocked.

Auggie yawned, tried to stretch and grimaced again when the movement pulled at his wound.

"I think Auggie should rest," Annie suggested.

At the thought she might leave Auggie flung out a hand and caught her hip. She reached back and placed a warm hand over his heart, assuring him she intended to stay.

A chorus of 'get wells' and 'take cares' accompanied the parade of people out of the room. Annie closed the door and leaned back against it.

"I love you," she said again.

"I heard you the first time," he grinned. "And for the record, I knew that."

"I hadn't done a very good job of telling you though," she walked back to the bed and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"You can tell me better than that," he laughed and cupped her cheek moving her lips to his own and kissing her deeply.

"Sorry," a deep voice cut through the sweet moment as Annie startled and whirled around to see a doctor standing sheepishly by the door.

"I'm sorry," Annie blushed. "You're the most important person at the moment."

"I don't know, affection is awfully good for recovery," the doctor smiled as he approached the bed.

"Yeah?" Auggie asked hopefully.

"Well, it can't hurt," the doctor shrugged.

Annie stood on the other side of the bed as the doctor checked some machines and flipped through Auggie's chart. She laced her fingers through his and squeezed his hand tightly. His returning squeeze was not quite 100% but enough to assure her he was ok.

TBC…


	9. Chapter 9

Full Circle P9

The doctor finished examining Auggie, assured everything looked good and left the pair alone for the first time since Annie left for Budapest over a month prior.

"We don't seem to be real good at the date thing?" Auggie smirked.

"Is that what tonight was supposed to be?" Annie asked as she pulled a chair up beside the bed.

"I was flying to Europe to visit, did you not think it was a date?"

"I wasn't really sure," she shrugged.

"Well it was, but now we can have hospital food instead."

"You booked 2 rooms," Annie said quietly.

"I didn't want to be presumptuous. Most first dates end with a kiss," he tugged her hand to his lips to illustrate.

"Seems impossible for us to go back to the concept of a first date, don't ya think?" she frowned but didn't pull her hand back.

"I don't want to go back Annie, I don't want to forget what we've already gone through, good and bad to get here. I do think we made a few mistakes that could be rectified with a proper courtship," he shrugged.

"Ooh, it's a courtship now? Have you ever courted a woman?" she snickered.

"I tried once in high school, it didn't go so well. Eventually the rest of my body caught up to my limbs and my ears and I didn't really need to," he tried for modesty but fell a little short.

Annie caught the lethargy in his voice and the tug of sleep at his eye lids.

"You should sleep."

"You too," he patted the edge of the slim mattress.

"I thought we just determined I would be sleeping in my own bed for a while," she stood from the chair and stretched.

"As long as we keep our clothes on I think this is within the rules," he was making it up as he went along.

"I don't know, you have a hospital gown on, that is hardly clothes," she teased but was toeing her shoes off as she did.

"I just want to hold you," he said, all joking gone.

Annie nodded, tears suddenly flooding her eyes. Once again this man had put himself in the line of fire and come out the other end. How many lives did Auggie Anderson have? She didn't want to waste a moment of this one.

"The nurse is probably going to hate me," Annie grimaced as she arranged herself on the edge of the bed placing her head on the uninjured side of Auggie's chest, the side where his heart beat strong and steady against her temple.

***555***

Joan couldn't help the smile that sprang to her face when she entered Auggie's room the next morning. Annie and Auggie slept as one, his arm curled around and holding her to him, preventing her falling to the floor. Her hand splayed across his stomach protectively.

"Joan?" Auggie's voice was quiet but alert to her perfume and the click of her heels.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," she whispered back, accustomed to talking around a sleeping baby.

"I've been up for a while," he admitted.

"Me too," Annie admitted sheepishly.

"I've been trying not to disturb you," Auggie accused.

"Sorry, I was too comfortable to give up my spot."

"You can't possibly be comfortable," he challenged as he moved his hand along her oddly curved back and shoulders.

"Best sleep I've had in months," she kissed his stubbled jaw and unfolded herself from the bed, straightening her clothes for Joan's benefit.

"I have an appointment later this morning, so thought I would check in on you," Joan explained.

"Anything wrong?" Auggie asked.

"No just a regular six week post-baby thing," she fluttered her hands embarrassed.

"You look great by the way," Annie indicated Joan's nearly back-to-perfect body.

"Babies are a lot of work, but not quite as much as my job was so I have some unused energy," she shrugged.

"I want to thank you for getting me back here so quickly," Annie said, she hadn't had a chance to properly thank Joan the night before.

"No problem. You don't have to go back either, you can stay in town," she informed.

"Really?" Annie and Auggie said simultaneously.

"We have enough intel from your guy in Budapest. We'll hand him off to a junior agent."

"Thought you were still on leave?" Auggie smirked.

"Remember when I told you even if we were both fired I am still your boss Anderson, you think a little thing like maternity leave is going to change that," she grinned glad to see Auggie appeared to be just fine.

"Do I have a new assignment?" Annie asked as Calder appeared in the doorway with coffee.

"Figured you were still here," he said to Annie and handed her one of the coffees.

"Thanks, I was just asking Joan what my next assignment was," Annie filled the DCS in.

"Your next assignment?" Calder quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"It's him," Calder indicated the man in the bed.

Annie smiled as Auggie frowned.

"Excuse me?" Auggie asked.

"I am putting Annie in charge of your feeding and watering and assigning her to work with Nick to try and figure out who shot you."

"I am not a pet," Auggie grunted.

"No but I will bet my lunch money you are a lousy patient and she might be the only one who cares enough about you to tolerate you. You got lucky, but you still need to rest and go through physical therapy and all that fun stuff and we don't expect to see your ugly mug in the DPD for a couple weeks. You can work from home though under her supervision," Calder reported.

"I get to be in charge? Of him?" Annie was warming to the idea.

"Down Walker, I still outrank you, by a lot," Auggie clarified.

"But I'm in charge," she smiled evilly.

***555***

The day Auggie was released he was a pretty good patient, he tired quickly and Annie had him tucked into bed with his pain meds and a bottle of water around 1:00 in the afternoon.

"I am not an 82 year old man, I do not need a nap," he grumbled.

"No, you are an injured man with still a good deal of drugs coursing through your veins, your body needs to be still."

He pouted tried to roll over on his preferred side and and yelped a little with the pain.

"You OK?" she said gently.

"I'm fine," he gritted out and turned the other way, facing her.

She could see pain etched on his forehead but soon the drugs kicked in the lines softened and she could hear him sleeping within minutes.

When she was certain he was well under the effects of the drugs she pulled up her computer, she had some time before she had to call in to Langley for a briefing and decided to Skype Danielle.

"Hey there," Danielle answered on the third ring.

"Hi, is this a bad time?" Annie asked.

"No, I have to leave in about 20 minutes, but I am good until then," Danielle said looking at her watch.

"Just wanted to let you know I am back in DC."

"Oh, I had you coming back in a couple weeks," Dani8elle looked confused.

"I wrapped everything up early."

"Great, where are you?" Danielle looked past the image of her sister on the screen to a sleek chrome refrigerator.

"DC," Annie repeated.

"I mean the apartment, is it yours? Your new place?"

"No," Annie forgot how observant and nosey Danielle could be.

"Well most hotels don't stock full size fridges, wait, are you at Auggie's?" Danielle whispered the last word.

"Yes, but…."

"Where is he?" she was whispering again.

"He's asleep," Annie said and realized her mistake instantly when Danielle squealed.

"Not from…., Danielle! He had a little accident, I am just helping him get settled."

"Oh my God, is he OK?"

"He will be," Annie sighed.

"Was it a stapler accident?"

"Yes," Annie relented.

"Oh no."

"He's fine," Annie repeated more for her own benefit than Danielle's.

"You guys are talking though, you are together."

"We are going to try Danielle, we are going to try to go on a date and be as normal as we can be."

"Wow, that is a huge improvement over 4 weeks ago."

"It is. I love him Danielle."

"I know that Annie, I believe I was the one who pointed it out a few years ago."

***555***

"I brought food," Nick announced as he entered Auggie's loft a few days later.

"You are officially my favorite person of the day," Annie smiled as she stood from the computer and stretched her back.

"Where's Auggie?"

"He graduated from sponge baths to a real shower today and he has been in there for about 20 minutes," Annie smiled.

"Is he OK?" Nick was particularly worried about Auggie since he was somewhat responsible for the guy getting shot.

"Oh yeah, he was singing a couple minutes ago," Annie smirked.

"Sorry I missed that."

"Don't be."

Annie went to the fridge and got Nick a beer as he unpacked the food.

"I'll go get him," Annie said as Nick stared at the food like a starving man.

She jogged up to the bedroom and grabbed the clean tee shirt Auggie had left on the bed.

"Come on Pavarotti, the rest of us want to eat," Nick heard her say as she walked into the bathroom.

Nick had heard plenty of rumors about these two and he was witness to Annie's seemingly random declaration of love the other night, but he really had no idea if they were a couple, friends, a couple of friends, he was quite unsure.

"I think I can have one beer," Auggie argued as they made their way back to the kitchen.

"Not while you are on pain keeelers," Annie pronounced the word as Teo had in Colombia last year and Auggie smiled.

"OK, then how about you drink the beer and then we can make out," he teased and she turned to glare at him.

"What?" he smiled innocently.

"How did you know she was glaring at you?" Nick said with awe.

"Lucky guess," Auggie shrugged and moved towards the smell of food.

***555***

Nick left a few hours later with some new leads on the shooter and the left over take out.

"He's not a bad kid," Auggie said with a yawn as he moved towards the couch.

"Bed," Annie corrected his destination.

"Bossy," he snarked but changed his course.

"You need to rest."

"I'm fine."

"You're body needs to heal," she said quietly.

"It is, I promise," he turned in her direction and she moved to his side.

She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. He was warm and smelled better since his shower.

"I should go," she murmured against the cotton.

"You could stay," his fingers found their way into her hair.

"What happened to my promised courtship?"

"Oh there will be courting, but if we stick to the clothes on rule, you could stay."

Annie was wary, she saw the benefits of the 'taking it slow' plan, but she also saw the benefits of curling up next to Auggie and going to sleep in his arms, the arms that pulled just the slightest bit tighter as she thought about them.

"Stay," he whispered again.

TBC…


	10. Chapter 10

Full Circle P10

Annie woke the next morning, still clothed, and tantalizingly close to Auggie's body. She threw caution to the wind and closed the small gap of cool sheets and snuggled right into his side. He instantly curled around her like a caterpillar, his body warm and sweet with sleep.

"Morning," he said quietly, not wanting to break the moment.

"I forgot how snuggly you are," she smiled against his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's been awhile," Auggie sighed remembering their last time in a real bed together, the hospital notwithstanding, involved very little snuggling.

"Mmmm," Annie agreed nodding her head against his body, moving her hands up to find his face.

She kissed him gently, not trying to start anything more, just wanting to celebrate this moment. He smiled into the kiss as he had that very first time, but this time he pulled back.

"We should talk," he said the dreaded words.

She flopped onto her back with a groan.

"I know the kissing is more fun, trust me, I know, but we have been down this road already and we need to mark the path better this time," he reasoned as he swung his legs out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"To make coffee," he smiled.

Annie used the bathroom, brushed her teeth and returned to the bed. He might want to talk, but she wanted that talk to take place in bed, not across a table, she wanted to remind him what they were talking about and why.

***555***

"At some point in the year after Ben left me again, I realized I didn't care that he was gone. I dated that guy Scott for a while, but he was no one really, he was a place holder in my head for the moment I was ready to admit to you how I felt. Just around the time I was starting to get up the nerve you met Parker."

"Yeah," Auggie nodded.

"The day you gave me the car, I was so convinced we were on the same page. I was shaken from my first gun fight and needed you and there you were trusting me with your precious car and just handing it over like it was nothing, when what I wanted was your heart. I got the car instead."

"I really didn't know you wanted more than the car Annie, you have to know that."

"You were so happy and I was so miserable, but I let go of it, shook it off and convinced myself that you and Parker would never work, that she was just another bump in the road."

"That road got a lot bumpier," he smiled sadly and reached for her hand, she gave it over gladly, happy for the contact.

"Jai died and we were re-assigned and Lena assigned me to Simon and then…."

"Barcelona," his one word really summed up the root of their problems.

"Yeah," she sniffled and he was surprised she was crying.

He unlaced their fingers and brought his to her cheek, used his thumb to erase the tears and then pulled her close.

"It is easy to think all of our problems started with Henry Wilcox, but you're right, we had denied some issues for a long time," Auggie said soothingly against her hair.

"It just all comes back to the same thing though, we never really tell each other how we feel, there is always a cover in place. I am strong and you are clever and we don't need to talk about our feelings, but we do Auggie. I need to know that this, us, is what is best for both of us. In the long run," Annie said honestly, her tears staunched and her hands shaking.

"Why didn't you say something in Barcelona, why didn't you try to stop me?"

"You seemed so happy and I didn't want to interfere with that."

"Even if it cost you your own happiness? You are not a martyr Annie, you are not the one who always has to sacrifice in your job or in your life. You deserve happiness too, you deserve to be safe and loved and happy," Auggie turned her on the bed so they were facing each other, his hands strong on her elbows and for a moment she panicked, considered a way to flee.

"I know that."

"Do you?"

"I am learning that," Annie admitted.

"Why did you ever doubt it?"

"The only person who ever invested anything in me was Danielle. My parents didn't know what to do with me, men never stuck around long enough to figure me out. Within weeks I felt like I lost Danielle and you, you were both moving on and I was left behind with barely a second thought from either of you," Annie hated how pathetic she sounded, but this is what she promised Gail she would talk to Auggie about.

"And Simon was there."

"Simon was easy."

"Nothing about Simon was easy," Auggie snorted.

"It really was, I knew who he was and he knew who I was. Part of me knew he knew which actually made it even easier. He got me, he was kind to me."

"And I was a self-absorbed jerk," Auggie grimaced.

"Never, you were happy and then you were distant and I was just as guilty as you, I avoided reaching out to you I buried myself in the Simon Op so I didn't have to hear how heart-broken you were about Parker, because the only thing worse than you happy with her was you sad without her."

"I was sad then Annie, really sad, but not about Parker and my sadness goes back to giving you the car too. While you were in Stockholm I had my real last chance of recovering my eyesight eliminated."

"What?" Annie said shocked.

"I saw a doctor while you were away, he runs a trial on stem cells and I thought I might be a candidate. Turned out I wasn't."

'Why didn't you tell me?" Annie said almost angry.

"Because you always see me as so much more than blind Annie, I didn't want to burst that idealism by giving you the truth. Parker pretty much only saw me as blind, so it didn't seem like such a letdown to her."

"Oh Auggie…." Annie sighed and reached a hand out to smooth the hair back from his forehead.

The ringing phone actually made her jump, her throat was raw from talking, it was the most she had said to anyone other than Gail in months.

"Hello," she said as she slipped out of the bed and Auggie missed her instantly.

He could only hear her side of the conversation but it sounded like good news and involved her going in to the office.

"I'm sorry, have to go," she said unnecessarily as she hung up.

"Yeah," Auggie stretched and stood.

"Can I come back later?"

"Of course. Whatever we become Annie, and believe me when I say I want it to be something spectacular, whatever we are, we will always be friends."

***555***

Barber showed up with dinner, which Auggie was grateful for, but he had to swallow his disappointment that it wasn't Annie.

"She'll be here later," Barber said when he sensed the letdown.

"Huh?" Auggie tried to play dumb.

"You know you have zero poker face when it comes to her, right?"

Auggie just rolled his eyes at Barber and handed him a beer.

"How are you feeling? Should you be drinking?" Barber asked following all the rules Annie had laid out.

"I feel fine, I didn't even need my pain keelers today. I am down to plain old Advil," Auggie rotated the shoulder on the injured side in demonstration.

"Good," Barber smiled in confusion at his boss' odd accent.

"Where is Annie?" Auggie asked nonchalantly.

"Team is going in after the guy that shot you."

"What? You might have wanted to lead with that Barber," he frowned.

"She is running tac from Langley, she isn't on the team."

"Oh," he felt a little better knowing he wasn't so far out of the loop and Annie was not in direct danger at the moment.

"I offered to bring you dinner," Barber shrugged and pulled out some Greek food.

"Thanks. So who is the guy?"

"Some Turkish militant who really did not know he was shooting former Special Forces/CIA guy. He has a world of hurt coming his way," Barber laughed.

"If it is so cut and dry, where is Annie?"

"Is anything cut and dry at the company? Syria is involved or something, I don't know they were all running around crazy, but Annie stepped out to make sure you got some dinner and that it included vegetables," Barber grimaced at the thought.

"I should be there, I am going a little stir crazy here," Auggie admitted.

"I can tell, you look a bit like a caged puma or something," Barber said with a laugh and Auggie smiled at his choice of animal.

***555***

Auggie had no idea how long he had been asleep when he heard the loft door slide open. He was so happy she had come back he didn't dare startle her. He felt like maybe they had made some progress today, but Annie still seemed fragile.

He listened as she hung up her coat and noticed the change in footfalls as she removed her shoes. He heard the faucet and the fridge, the inescapable loudness of opening plastic take out containers and a tiny hum as she forked some cold leftovers into her mouth.

Annie padded up to the bedroom as she pulled her blouse out of her skirt. She had gone to her apartment to change before heading to Langley, but had failed to bring anything with her for tonight in her rush. She was about to grab the tee shirt she had slept in the night before when the glow of street light reflected off of Auggie's bare chest, the bandage covering his wound the only thing marring a perfect view.

Annie brushed her teeth and washed her face, stripped down to her underwear and climbed into bed. Auggie was still feigning sleep and had to control his response when he rolled towards her and felt nothing but silky skin against his hands.

Again, afraid she would bolt he slid one hand over her hip to her stomach and anchored her back against him. He couldn't resist though as he tucked his head into the back of her hair, sifting through the long curls with his nose until his lips made contact with the warm sweet smell of Annie.

She froze, her abdominal muscles tightening under his hand, her spine elongating at his kiss.

"You're awake?" she accused.

He just nodded which only served to bring his lips back against her skin over and over in tantalizing fashion. She turned in his arms, pulled her hair back and away from his face and leaned forward to kiss him properly.

It was the second time in 24 hours she kissed him in this bed and while this morning was all about warmth and comfort, tonight was all about heat and passion. He pulled her closer her bare chest flush against his and her heart raced.

"You broke the no clothes rule?" he growled between kisses.

"Me?" she laughed as her hands skimmed down his long lean torso.

He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him with ease.

"How do you feel?" she asked as she surveyed the clean dry bandage on his chest, considerably smaller in the days since the shooting.

"You tell me," he grinned as her hands continued to roam.

TBC…


	11. Chapter 11

Full Circle P11

"Are you sure?" Annie asked as she looked down at him.

Auggie wasn't sure if she was concerned about his injury or their tenuous reconciliation, but he felt pretty confident they needed this so he nodded slowly. He used his hands to find her hips and flipped her off of him and on to her back.

"So sure," he spoke against the skin of her rib cage as he kissed a path towards the one small piece of fabric in his way.

Despite the late hour and the evidence of his own desire, Auggie appeared to be in no hurry. Annie arched under his lips, her mind wandering back to the last time they did this. The contrast of that near-violent encounter and this was night and day. Annie was not discounting the pleasure of that evening in her hotel, in fact she had replayed that scene a few lonely nights in Budapest for her own enjoyment. This though, this was different.

This was a conversation, not like the one they had earlier in the day, but like a communication of their souls. His lips spoke verse over her skin, her body echoed a response.

Annie had watched Auggie orient himself to surroundings before, new places required careful evaluation, but even familiar places change and she saw him notice the changes in her body, the different muscle groups she developed swimming and the new scars she racked up in her hunt for Henry. He took his time to orient himself to her body again.

She tried to keep her vocal response low, a sigh here and a gasp there, never wanting to break the hold he had of her, but finally his name came forth in an involuntary keening sound . It was his undoing, after seemingly hours of gentle touching and kissing he worked his way feverishly back up her body and captured her mouth with his own, swallowed all her want.

She reached for him then, both of them more than ready. He moved to roll them over, but she held him there.

"I can't put that much weight on my arm," he said reasonably.

"Then don't," she replied as she swept his arms up and around her neck, let his whole body rest on top of hers, taking all of his weight.

It didn't give him much leverage, but neither of them really needed much more by then. Annie clung to him as tightly as she could and just said "I love you" over and over in his ear until he fell to pieces in her arms. Even then when he moved to roll off of her she held on fiercely.

He felt her try to fill her lungs with air, heard her breath hitch.

"Please don't cry," he whispered.

She nodded.

"We're good," he promised.

***555***

Annie slipped out of the bed against her will very early the next morning. She showered at Auggie's and threw on enough of her previous day's suit to make it to her car. When she emerged from the bathroom he was awake, although still naked and in bed.

"It's so early," he lamented.

"I know, I have to go back to my place and change," she explained.

"Your place," he said the 2 words with thinly veiled disgust.

"I'll pack a bag today?" her voice fell somewhere between a question and a statement.

He turned a smile toward her that nearly buckled her knees.

"Last night was…." He trailed off.

Usually a man struggling to find words in this situation is a bad thing as he reaches for a synonym for the word 'mistake'. The look on Auggie's face though was reverent, almost sacred. She went to him, took his face in her hands and kissed him so softly she heard him whimper at it.

"I've never felt like that Auggie, I've never felt that loved," she whispered in his ear and had to hold strong when he tried to tug her back to bed.

"Can't you call in sick?" he asked as he pulled her closer and pressed his face to her stomach.

"Well, I missed 6 months of work being dead, so I think I am out of sick days," she tried for a joke but felt him tense under her hands.

"Too soon?" she smiled down at him and he nodded against her body.

***555***

Auggie's phone rang at 2:00 pm.

"Hey," she said happily but businesslike.

"Hey," he replied happily and less businesslike.

"Do you feel well enough to come in for a meeting?"

"Sure, I am itching to get out of here, I am even willing to go to a meeting."

She chuckled. "OK, I am sending a car for you in 30 minutes," she reported. "Put some pants on," she finished and hung up.

Auggie hopped off the couch, he had pants on but they wouldn't quite do for a meeting at Langley. He kind of missed dressing for work, so found a nice outfit, vest and all, and headed to the bathroom.

His efforts in getting ready were instantly rewarded when he stepped off the elevator at Langley and Annie inhaled sharply.

"You look nice," she said as she offered him her arm.

"A man can only wear sweat pants for so many days in a row."

"I'll reward you for your efforts later," she smiled and watched the slightest blush creep into his cheeks.

They made it to the DPD and a chorus of "Auggie!" greeted them as various staffers noticed his return.

"You have 20 minutes, I'll come get you for the meeting," Annie informed him as she left him in his office with Barber and team excited to see him.

***555***

"So we have determined Syria had six moles in Abishek's administration, including Tazik who attempted to assassinate our informant in the incident that resulted in Operative Anderson's injury. All six are now in Turkish custody, Abishek is immensely grateful and our informant is still covert," Nick finished his report.

"Excellent work Gallster," Calder said to the gathered crowd of: Joan, Annie, Auggie, Barber, Millie and some guy from Asset Management Nick didn't even know.

"Walker did most of the research, Sir," Nick gave Annie her due credit.

"She is a bit of nerd," Calder smirked her way.

Nick was shocked at the flippant remark but the majority of the people in the room were smiling, so he assumed they were all close enough to joke.

"Auggie actually found the initial ties in his work at home while recovering from a gunshot wound, that is why I wanted him here today," Annie passed the credit along.

Auggie looked to her with a question on his face.

"The hotel receipts and the banking information was a matrioshka of hidden intel, one inside the other. I just unravelled it after you found it," Annie shrugged.

"I didn't think we had anything there," Auggie stated with modesty.

"Once you figured out the alias he used and found the reservation I was able to back trace several purchases made with different aliases, eventually cross-checking surveillance footage I noticed they were different people and knew we were looking at a larger network, it came together after that."

Auggie had to grip the edge of the table to prevent himself from launching at her and making out with her in front of all these people. His Annie was back, not the Annie of the past year drowning in rage, but his real Annie the brilliant Operative that he had fallen in love with.

Nick looked on amazed and Barber grinned.

"Dude, they are always like this. Annie says she saw a guy in a green polka dot tie and in minutes Auggie has the names and photos of every person in a 600 mile radius wearing a green polka dot tie. Or he will repeat a word from a surveillance tape and she'll know it is the colloquial word for bomb in some rare eastern European dialect. They are like a really good looking Rain Man," Barber finished with a snort.

"OK, everybody back to work, except Auggie who is still on house arrest for 2 more days," Joan stood to indicate the meeting was over.

Auggie was working up a head of steam to fight for the afternoon in the office when Annie interjected, again knowing where best to take the conversation.

"How about Auggie do his physical therapy here today while I finish up," she offered the compromise.

"Fine, but I don't want to see you at your desk," Joan mothered.

The room cleared leaving Annie and Auggie alone.

"Take it easy in the gym, I have a few reports to finish and file and can meet you down there and run through your regimen."

"I won't overdo, I was actually hoping we could start substituting my therapy with some alternate activities," he whispered in her ear.

"I'll be happy to restructure your strength and flexibility exercises to a more intimate setting, you still need to rebuild your cardio endurance, start on the treadmill and I'll be down within the hour," she kissed his cheek and then wiped away her lip gloss tenderly.

TBC…

Note: Only 1 more chapter guys, Thursday will be the end of this story….and I have absolutely no idea where I am going from this fic…. For the first time in 18 months of writing for CA I have no ideas.


	12. Chapter 12

Full Circle P12

Notes: Thanks to those of you that commented on this fic, it was a tough one for me.

"I don't really want to bring up Barcelona again," Annie began as she traced random patterns on Auggie's chest.

"But…." He led her, stilling her hand so he could concentrate on her words.

"One thing I said there is still true Auggie, you are my best friend, and I don't ever want anything that happens between us to change that," she shifted in bed and looked up to gauge his reaction.

"I know Annie, I agree. I think we took for granted that our friendship could survive anything."

"I was so jealous of Parker though and a friend, a real friend, would not have felt that way," Annie admitted.

"You are human Annie, I was jealous a lot too."

"Yeah?"

"Mostly of Eyal, but yeah," he shrugged.

"You know I don't have feelings for him, right?" she repeated her words from previous conversations.

He smiled.

"Seriously though, Eyal and I flirt, but we never, ever," she slid her leg up along his and shifted her body on top of his to illustrate what she and Eyal had never done.

"Yeah, it was more than this though," he stroked her back, stopping at the curve of her hips.

"You're jealous of his field work," Annie stated with understanding.

"I am jealous that he can rush in and save you when I can't. And if we are being honest I worry that one day you are going to want that kind of man more than me."

"I know that is a hard thing for you to admit Auggie and I am so grateful that you are willing to share it with me, it means a lot that you feel strong enough to say the words out loud. I also know that my actions, especially with Simon, do not lend a lot of credibility to what I am about to say, but I want you Auggie. I want my best friend and the smartest man I know. I have every faith that we will find our own share of adventure, we certainly have already, but even if we are never in the field together again, if you are always there in my ear and here when I come home that is more than I feel I deserve."

"Well, sometimes I feel you deserve more than me."

"We are quite a pair," Annie laughed.

"Like an O Henry story we are," he grinned.

"See, that right there, makes me want you so bad," she shimmied up his body and kissed him soundly.

"Vague literary references turn you on? You are like a flower Annie Walker, always unfolding…." He teased and rolled her under him.

***555***

"Hey Annie," Barber greeted as Annie entered Tech Ops.

"Hi Eric! Do you have that flash drive Auggie asked for?" she smiled.

"Just finishing the download," he said as he clicked a couple keys and popped the drive out of the USB port.

"Thanks," Annie took the drive.

"He's back on Monday right?" Barber asked.

"He is, I might have to tie him down to keep him out of here over the weekend," Annie laughed.

"I'm sure you can find a way to keep him amused," Barber said and realized his mistake when Annie blushed furiously.

"I meant like movies and a walk around the neighborhood…."Barber flailed.

Annie laughed and turned to leave nearly running right into Calder.

"Glad I caught you," he said as he escorted Annie from the office.

"What's up?"

"How are you?"

"Fine," Annie strung out the word curious where he was going.

"How's Auggie?"

"Also fine."

"Are you guys, you know? Together?" Calder seemed visibly pained by the conversation.

"Yes," Annie said confidently.

"OK, please fill out a C&C. Normally I wouldn't push it, but the lines get blurry when your handler is your boyfriend is your emergency contact is your sister's agency liaison, you get the idea. As much as we can have documented on you two the better if something happens."

"Will he still be my handler? You weren't too keen on that in the beginning."

"If I learned anything this past year it is that you two are going to work together whether it is sanctioned or not, so I might as well keep it on book," he shrugged dejectedly.

"Thank you Calder."

"You're welcome, just try not to look so adoringly at him all the time."

"I'll do my best," Annie smiled and turned to head home.

***555***

Annie slid the loft door open, her arms full of bags and a suitcase trailing behind her.

"Little help here," she called out hopefully.

Auggie was just finishing setting a couple of places at the table and turned to alleviate some of the load. He took the large handled bag that smelled like their dinner which allowed her to shift the wine to her crooked elbow before it fell to the floor.

"Hi," he greeted her with a quick kiss.

"Hi," she repeated the quick kiss.

As Auggie only had one hand occupied with bags he reached for her hip after the second kiss, drawing her closer, kissing her deeper. Annie had enough good sense to know which of her bags she could drop without catastrophic results and dropped her purse and a bag from the drug store with some shampoo and conditioner in it so she could reach for Auggie, the wine still safely trapped against her body.

"Dinner?" he asked and in that one word Annie heard Auggie had conflict in whatever answer she gave, he could really go either way.

Annie walked them back towards the counter, Auggie felt it approach and pulled the bag of food up and settled it safely there, Annie deposited the wine there as she continued to kiss Auggie playfully. Once their dinner was secure she walked him back towards the couch, both her hands free to roam over his chest.

"Can I have you for a first course?" she asked as she pushed him onto the couch and straddled his lap.

He smiled against her lips.

"I thought you got spring rolls?" he teased.

"We can have the spring rolls if you want?" she hooked her thumb toward the kitchen and moved to get up.

"I want you," he said suddenly serious.

She kissed him then, no longer playful, but with all the love and passion she could summon.

"You have me," she said as she pulled him down on top of her on the couch.

Cold Thai food turned out to be pretty tasty, especially when fed to you by a nearly naked man.

***555***

Annie puttered around the kitchen wearing nothing but Auggie's shirt. She put the food away and washed the couple utensils they used, poured more wine.

"Auggie, I know we have talked more these past few days than we ever have before, but I have just one more thing to say," she brushed his wine glass against his hand.

"What's that?"

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. I sat here in this exact spot and begged you to choose between me and Langley, told you I wanted our lives outside the office to be more important than our lives at the office and then I acted exactly the opposite. I couldn't do what I was asking you to do. It took me a long time to realize how awful that must have been for you and I am truly sorry," she sunk to a crouch beside the couch where he sat.

"I understand Annie, I appreciate your apology, but I understand. I might actually be the only person who does," Auggie admitted.

"The hope that you would forgive me helped me survive," she said honestly.

"I realized something this past month or so working with Nick. You aren't him anymore, you are not a rookie Annie, you are an incredible Operative and I need to stop handling you like a rookie, that is going to be hard for me and harder still since I love you so damn much," he grinned.

"I can't promise I won't make rash and possibly dangerous decisions and I hope I am never faced with the kind of decision I made last year again, but never ever do I want you to doubt that my decision reflects on us. I do promise that I will tell you everything I can, even the things you might not want to hear," Annie offered.

"Heart to hearts require talking?" he reached for her then and pulled her up next to him on the couch.

"Heart to hearts require talking," she agreed as she kissed him.

The End


End file.
